Legislative Activity

This bill establishes the **Expanding Childcare in Rural America Initiative** to address the critical shortage and high cost of childcare in rural communities. It directs the Secretary of Agriculture to prioritize funding for projects that improve childcare availability, quality, or affordability in rural areas between fiscal years 2027 and 2029. The initiative ensures that existing USDA loans and grants are preferentially awarded to applicants focused on enhancing rural childcare infrastructure.

This act modifies percentage depletion rules for small oil and gas producers, specifically for marginal properties. It introduces a new calculation for the depletion rate, removes existing taxable income limits, and doubles the daily oil production eligible for the deduction. These changes are designed to support small producers and rural jobs, taking effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2026.

The Bereaved Parents Rights Act establishes new requirements for hospitals and birth centers following a miscarriage or stillbirth. These facilities must notify parents of their rights regarding the disposition of the fetus, including options for burial or cremation. Parents who choose to arrange disposition must have their wishes honored according to state law.

This resolution designates the first Wednesday of May as Maternal Mental Health Day to raise critical awareness about maternal mental health conditions, which affect a significant number of new mothers. It recognizes these disorders as common but often untreated complications of pregnancy and childbirth that impact family well-being. The day aims to highlight the importance of support, research, and treatment for mothers across the country.

The ACCESS Act aims to expand Medicaid coverage to include services provided in assisted living residences, effective January 1, 2027, provided the costs do not exceed current nursing facility expenditures. Additionally, the bill modifies the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to prioritize housing projects that support non-institutional long-term care options like assisted living. This legislation seeks to promote choice and affordability in long-term care settings.

The Safeguarding The Overall Protection of Minors Act (STOP Act) prohibits the use of federal funds for gender transition procedures on minors under 18, with specific medical exceptions. It establishes civil penalties for performing these procedures and creates a private right of action for individuals harmed by violations. Furthermore, the Act establishes a grant program to support organizations that assist individuals seeking to reverse prior gender transition procedures.

This act aims to immediately lower costs for American farmers by eliminating trade duties and revoking countervailing duty orders on phosphate fertilizer imports from Morocco. The legislation ensures these essential agricultural inputs can be imported without added tariffs, effective shortly after enactment.

The Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026 aims to significantly enhance patient care and transparency within Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. This legislation mandates faster coverage decisions, including real-time authorizations for routine services, and tightens rules against retroactive claim denials. Furthermore, it establishes a new compliance and accountability program for MA organizations, imposing payment reductions for noncompliance and integrating compliance into the MA Star Ratings system. Finally, the bill aligns MA medical necessity criteria more closely with traditional Medicare standards.

The No Bias in the Baseline Act fundamentally changes how the federal budget baseline is calculated. It redefines the baseline as a projection based strictly on current laws, assuming discretionary spending remains at current funding levels without any inflation adjustments. This modification standardizes future spending and revenue projections for budget analysis.

The Health Savings Account Expansion Act significantly broadens access to HSAs by lowering eligibility thresholds and increasing annual contribution limits. It also expands what HSA funds can be used for, including paying for HDHP premiums, while simultaneously restricting qualified expenses to only prescribed drugs and insulin. Furthermore, the bill clarifies the tax treatment of health care sharing ministries.

The 21st Century WIC Act of 2026 modernizes the WIC program by expanding options for participant certification and benefit issuance through remote technologies like phone and video. It allows states the flexibility to temporarily certify eligible individuals based on income while requiring follow-up data collection. Furthermore, the bill mandates a comprehensive report to Congress detailing the use and impact of these remote technologies within the WIC system.

This bill reauthorizes the vital Healthy Start Initiative through fiscal year 2030. It authorizes appropriations of $145 million annually for the program from 2026 to 2030.

This resolution officially honors the 67 victims of the tragic 2025 mid-air collision between an Army helicopter and an airliner over the Potomac River. It expresses deep sympathy for the families affected and commends the hundreds of agencies and first responders involved in the response and recovery efforts. Furthermore, the resolution commits to translating safety lessons from the incident into action to prevent future tragedies.

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 updates school nutrition standards to allow schools to offer organic or non-organic whole milk as a beverage option. This legislation also revises the criteria for milk substitutions based on medical or dietary needs and excludes milk fat from saturated fat calculations for meal compliance. Furthermore, the bill mandates that training for school food service personnel must now include comprehensive information on food allergies.

The ACE Agriculture Act of 2026 makes the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) a permanent program within the USDA. This legislation significantly expands AGARDA's research focus to address critical areas like water conservation, greenhouse gas mitigation, and climate resilience in agriculture. The bill also clarifies the Director's role and increases annual funding for the program through fiscal year 2031.

The WALZ Act mandates that the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services investigate state programs receiving federal HHS funds if payments to service providers or suppliers increase by 10% or more within any six-month period. This legislation aims to ensure proper oversight of federal funding distributed through state programs.

The Credit Card Competition Act of 2026 mandates new federal regulations to increase competition in credit card processing networks. These rules will prevent large card issuers and networks from limiting transaction routing options available to merchants. The Federal Reserve must establish these rules within one year, while also creating a national security risk list for payment networks.

The Public Charge Clarification Act of 2026 establishes a strict, codified definition for determining when an immigrant is likely to become a "public charge," based on the receipt of specific public benefits. This bill mandates that a wide range of federal, state, and local assistance programs be considered in this assessment, aiming to ensure immigrant self-sufficiency. It also introduces requirements for sponsor affidavits and authorizes the use of public charge bonds as a condition for entry or adjustment of status.

The American Franchise Act aims to clarify the legal relationship between franchisors and franchisees by defining when a franchisor can be considered a joint employer of a franchisee's staff. This legislation specifies that joint employer status only applies if the franchisor exercises "substantial direct and immediate control" over essential terms of employment, such as wages, hours, and discipline. The Act provides detailed examples of what actions do and do not constitute this level of direct control over the franchisee's employees. This clarification is intended to stabilize the franchising business model against inconsistent legal interpretations.

The PBM FAIR Act establishes new fiduciary duties and strict compensation disclosure requirements for Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) under ERISA. This legislation specifically deems PBMs as fiduciaries when they manage drug networks, process claims, or negotiate rebates on behalf of group health plans. Furthermore, the bill prohibits PBMs from being indemnified against liability for breaching these new fiduciary responsibilities.